In a first, the winner was crowned in front of judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie after America voted in real time during the action-packed, 180-minute show, with Hardy having his hand raised in triumph by host Ryan Seacrest, besting Alejandro Aranda and Madison VanDenburg.

It was a tight competition between Pomona, California, dishwasher Aranda, 24, who consistently wowed the judges with his finger-picking guitar style and stunning original compositions sung in a keening falsetto, 18-year-old Livingston, Louisiana, student Hardy, who unexpectedly made it all the way to Sunday after auditioning for a second year in a row, charming the panel with his easy charm and charisma, and bubbly 17-year-old Cohoes, New York, student VanDenburg, who rode her consistency and powerful vocals all the way to the finale stage.

Billboard is the world's most influential music media brand reaching key executives and tastemakers in and around the music business through Billboard Magazine, Billboard.biz, Billboard Conferences, Billboard Bulletin, and other targeted newsletters,...